US5043756A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic developing apparatus for a photosensitive material
Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc
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Filing: 1989-11-09
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Granted: 1991-08-27
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Expires: 2009-11-09
Abstract
Abstract Disclosure is an automatic processing apparatus for processing a silver halide photosensitive material with a processing agent, comprising; a processing tank for containing the processing agent, conveyance rollers for conveying the photosensitive material through the processing tank, and a sealing device for preventing the processing agent in the processing tank from coming into contact with air, wherein the processing tank has a tube shape.
Inventors
- 👤 Naoki Takabayashi
- 👤 Shigeharu Koboshi
- 👤 Nobutaka Goto
- 👤 Masayuki Kurematsu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 18:19
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03D; G03D3/00; G03D3/08; G03D3/13; G03D3/132; G03C; G03C7/00; G03C7/30; G03C7/407; G03D3/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
An automatic processing apparatus for processing a photosensitive material with a processing agent, comprising: processing tank means for containing said processing agent therein, wherein said processing tank means has a tubular shape; conveyance means for conveying said photosensitive material through said processing tank means; and sealing means for preventing said processing agent at an opening of said processing tank means from coming into contact with air, said sealing means comprising a processing agent draining means for draining said processing agent to a preservation tank means for preserving said drained processing agent therein, so that said processing agent is prevented from coming into contact with air, and wherein a ratio of an area of the opening to a cubic content of said processing agent is not more than 10 cm 2 /liter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
An automatic processing apparatus for processing a photosensitive material with a processing agent, comprising: processing tank means for containing said processing agent therein, wherein said processing tank means has a tubular shape; conveyance means for conveying said photosensitive material through said processing tank means; and sealing means for preventing said processing agent at an opening of said processing tank means from coming into contact with air, said sealing means comprising a processing agent draining means for draining said processing agent to a preservation tank means for preserving said drained processing agent therein, so that said processing agent is prevented from coming into contact with air, and wherein a ratio of an area of the opening to a cubic content of said processing agent is not more than 10 cm 2 /liter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said conveyance means comprises a roller means for conveying said photosensitive material, and said roller means is further used as a part of said sealing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises a shutter means for closing an opening of said processing tank means so as to prevent said processing agent from coming into contact with air.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises a valve means for closing an opening of said processing tank means so as to prevent said processing agent from coming into contact with air.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises a flexible bag means placed between said processing agent and said processing tank means for covering an opening of said processing tank means so as to prevent said processing agent from coming into contact with air.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing tank means comprises an upper member and a lower member, and said sealing means comprises a positioning means for increasing and decreasing the space between said upper member and said lower member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein an area of said processing tank means between said sealing means and said processing agent retained in said processing tank means is filled with an inert gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means further comprises a conveyance detection means for detecting conveyance of said photosensitive material to be processed in said processing tank means, wherein said processing agent in said processing tank means is drained by said processing agent draining means into said preservation tank when said conveyance detection means does not detect the conveyance of said photosensitive material in said processing tank means for a predetermined period of time.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 1, wherein said conveyance means comprises a conveyance roller means, and a conveyance roller cleaning means for cleaning said conveyance roller means with water.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 9, wherein said photosensitive material is a silver halide color paper, and said conveyance means conveys said photosensitive material at a conveyance speed between 5 cm/min and 100 cm/min.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 9, wherein said conveyance roller cleaning means comprises a water supply means for pouring water onto said conveyance roller means, wherein said water supply means is located above said conveyance roller means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 11, wherein said conveyance roller means is water absorbent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 11, wherein the water which said water supply means pours on said conveyance roller means is further used for diluting said processing agent in said processing tank means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 11, wherein said conveyance roller cleaning means further comprises a water draining means between said conveyance roller means and said processing tank means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 11, wherein the water poured to clean said conveyance roller means is further used to clean said processing tank means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 11, wherein the water poured to clean said conveyance roller means in a predetermined period of time is drained through a water draining means, and the water poured to clean said conveyance roller means after said predetermined period of time is further used to clean said processing tank means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 11, further comprising a cleaning path member for providing a conveyance path for a cleaning paper which is different from that of said photosensitive material so that said conveyance roller means is cleaned with said cleaning paper.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 11, wherein said conveyance roller means is cleaned with a cleaning paper conveyed through a path of said photosensitive material in said processing tank means after the processing agent in said processing tank means is drained therefrom.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 17, further comprising a cleaning roller means for conveying said cleaning paper wherein said cleaning roller means contacts said conveyance roller means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 19, wherein said cleaning roller means is further used to clean said conveyance roller means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus claimed in claim 9, wherein said conveyance roller means is covered with a hydrophobic material so that said conveyance roller means is water repellent.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the area of the opening to the cubic content of the processing agent is not more than 6 cm 2 /liter.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cubic content of the processing agent in the processing tank means is less than 2 liters.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
117 words
An automatic processing apparatus for processing a photosensitive material with a processing agent, comprising: processing tank means for containing said processing agent therein; conveyance means for conveying said photosensitive material through said processing tank means; and sealing means for preventing said processing agent at an opening of said processing tank means from coming into contact with air, wherein said processing tank means has a tubular shape, said photosensitive material is a silver halide, and said conveyance means conveys said photosensitive material at a conveyance speed between 5 cm/min and 100 cm/min, and wherein a ratio of an area of the opening to a cubic content of the processing agent is not more than 10 cm 2 /liter.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
117 words
An automatic processing apparatus for processing a photosensitive material with a processing agent, comprising: processing tank means for containing said processing agent therein; conveyance means for conveying said photosensitive material through said processing tank means; and sealing means for preventing said processing agent at an opening of said processing tank means from coming into contact with air, wherein said processing tank means has a tubular shape, said photosensitive material is a silver halide, and said conveyance means conveys said photosensitive material at a conveyance speed between 5 cm/min and 100 cm/min, and wherein a ratio of an area of the opening to a cubic content of the processing agent is not more than 10 cm 2 /liter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said conveyance means comprises a roller means for conveying said photosensitive material and said roller means further comprises a part of said sealing means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said sealing means comprises a shutter means for closing an opening of said processing tank means so as to prevent said processing agent from coming into contact with air.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said sealing means comprises a valve means for closing an opening of said processing tank means so as to prevent said processing agent from coming into contact with air.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said sealing means comprises a flexible bag means located between said processing agent and said processing tank means for covering an opening of said processing tank means so as to prevent said processing agent from coming into contact with air.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said processing tank means comprises an upper and a lower member, and said sealing means comprises a positioning means for increasing and decreasing the space between said upper and lower members.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein an area of said processing tank means between said sealing means and said processing agent retained in said processing tank means is filled with an inert gas.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
111 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said sealing means comprises a processing agent draining means for draining said processing agent to a preservation tank means, for preserving said drained processing agent therein, so that said processing agent is prevented from coming into contact with air, and a conveyance detection means for detecting conveyance of said photosensitive material to be processed in said processing tank means, wherein said processing agent in said processing tank means is drained by said processing agent draining means into said preservation tank when said conveyance detection means does not detect the conveyance of said photosensitive material in said processing tank means for a predetermined period of time.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said conveyance means comprises a conveyance roller means and a conveyance roller cleaning means for cleaning said conveyance roller means with water.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said conveyance roller cleaning means comprises a water supply means for pouring water onto said conveyance roller means, wherein said water supply means is located above said conveyance roller means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said conveyance roller means is water absorbent.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the water which said water supply means pours on said conveyance roller means is further used for diluting said processing agent in said processing tank means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said conveyance roller cleaning means further comprises a water draining means located between said conveyance roller means and said processing tank means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said water supplied to clean said conveyance roller means also cleans said processing tank means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said water supplied to clean said conveyance roller means in a predetermined period of time is drained through a water draining means, and the water supplied to clean said conveyance roller means after a predetermined period of time is further used to clean said processing tank means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising a cleaning path member for providing a conveyance path for a cleaning paper which is different from that of said photosensitive material so that said conveyance roller means is cleaned with said cleaning paper.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said conveyance roller means is cleaned with a cleaning paper conveyed through a path of said photosensitive material in said processing tank means after the processing agent in said processing tank means is drained therefrom.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising a cleaning roller means for conveying said cleaning paper wherein said cleaning roller means contacts said conveyance roller means.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said cleaning roller means is further used to clean said conveyance roller means.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said conveyance roller means is covered with a hydrophobic material so that said conveyance roller means is water repellent.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the ratio of the area of the opening to the cubic content of the processing agent is not more than 6 cm 2 /liter.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the cubic content of the processing agent in the processing tank means is less than 2 liters.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-08-26 | 1995-02-25 | 1995-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-08-26 | 1999-02-25 | 1999-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-08-26 | 2003-02-25 | 2003-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |